Robert Lawrence James1,2,3

Family Chart
ID# 10348, (1887 - 1940)
FatherBarclay Arney James7,8,6 (1 Oct 1842 - 9 Mar 1909)
MotherBobella Cobb4,5,6 (3 Sep 1848 - 20 Oct 1922)

Key Events:

Birth: 20 Jun 1887, Paducah, Kentucky9,10,11
Marriage: 7 Jul 1926, Clarksville, Tennessee, Bess L. Pickering (1 Mar 1889 - 29 Apr 1961)12,13,14
Death: 14 Feb 1940, Madison St., Clarksville, Montgomery Co., Tennessee6,15
Burial: 16 Feb 1940, Greenwood Cemetery, Clarksville, Montgomery Co., Tennessee6,16
AncestryThe Cobbs of Pawlet, Vermont

Copyright Notice

Narrative:

     Robert Lawrence James was born on 20 Jun 1887 in Paducah, Kentucky.9,10,11
     He moved to Clarksville with his parents in 1891.17,18,19 He moved to Indiana with his parents in 1893.20,21 He appeared on the 1900 Federal Census of Evansville, Vanderburgh Co., Indiana, in the household of his parents.7
     He moved back to Clarksville with his parents in 1906.22,23 Robert appeared on the 1910 Federal Census of Clarksville, Montgomery Co., Tennessee, in the household of his half-sister Cornelia and her husband, Morris Kerr Clark.24
     Robert registered for the draft for World War I on 5 Jun 1917, while living in 118 Franklin, Clarksville, Tennessee, reporting he was employed as a salesman and buyer for Rankin & Ferguson.1
     Robert enlisted 28 Jun 1917 for service in the supply company of the 114th Field Artillery, 13th Division. He was transferred to the 35th Engineers in Sep 1918, and later to the 103rd Co. Transport Corps.25,26 He was overseas from 30 Mar 1918 until 31 May 1919, serving in the Argonne, St. Meheil, and the Valley of Wovere. He held the rank of 1st sergeant most of the time. He suffered hearing impairment from an ailment contacted during the war.27 He was discharged 16 Jul 1919.28
     Robert appeared on the 1920 Federal Census of Clarksville, Montgomery Co., Tennessee, in the household of his half- sister Cornelia.29
     Robert married Bess L. Pickering, daughter of Robert G. Pickering and Lillian Harriett Wilkerson, on 7 Jul 1926 in Clarksville, Tennessee, with Rev. George O. Watts officating. It was a quiet ceremony at 6:00 am in the Parrish House with intimate relatives in attendence.12,13,14 They took a honeymoon trip, motoring through Kentucky.30
     Robert and Bess appeared on the 1930 Federal Census of Clarksville, Montgomery Co., Tennessee, on Franklin St., enumerated 2 Apr 1930, listed as boarding with Jesse Ellis and his wife. Her brother Robert was also listed as boarding there.31
     He was a clerk in 1910, and a salesman for a garage by 1920. By 1930 he was in the dry cleaning and tailoring business, as a partner in Max Bilsky & Co. when he died.32,33,34,35,36
     Robert died on 14 Feb 1940 in Clarksville, Montgomery Co., Tennessee, at his home on Madison St. at age 52.6,15 He was buried on 16 Feb 1940 in Greenwood Cemetery, Clarksville, Montgomery Co., Tennessee.6,16

Children:
     There were no children with Bess L. Pickering

Citations

  1. [S3224] Robert Lawrence James, World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918.
  2. [S8403] "James - Miller Wedding," Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle, 7 Jul 1926, shows name as Robert Lawrence James.
  3. [S2312] Bracley A. James household, 1900 U.S. Census, Vanderburgh Co., Indiana, shows name as Robert L. James.
  4. [S2312] Bracley A. James household, 1900 U.S. Census, Vanderburgh Co., Indiana, shows the boy as the son of Bobbie's husband, and that the parents had been married longer than the age of the child.
  5. [S8293] Mrs. B. A. James obituary, Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle.
  6. [S3411] Robert L. James, Certificate of Death.
  7. [S2312] Bracley A. James household, 1900 U.S. Census, Vanderburgh Co., Indiana.
  8. [S8307] B. A. James obituary, The Paducah Sun.
  9. [S2312] Bracley A. James household, 1900 U.S. Census, Vanderburgh Co., Indiana, shows month, year, as 1866, age 13 and state, as Kentucky.
  10. [S3224] Robert Lawrence James, World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918, shows date, with year as 1887, city, and state.
  11. [S8402] Bob James obituary, Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle, shows date, with year as 1887, city, and state.
  12. [S8403] "James - Miller Wedding," Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle, 7 Jul 1926, shows date, time, place.
  13. [S8402] Bob James obituary, Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle, shows date.
  14. [S2326] Jesse Ellis household, 1930 U.S. Census, Montgomery Co., Tennessee, shows both as married, with his first marriage at age 35, and hers at 26.
  15. [S8402] Bob James obituary, Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle, shows Wednesday, at his home, and street.
  16. [S8402] Bob James obituary, Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle, shows date and cemetery.
  17. [S8357] "Leaflets," Semi-Weekly Tobacco Leaf-Chronicle, 28 Jul 1891, shows Bart James, of Evansville, was visiting his family at Mrs. Allen Johnson's.
  18. [S8355] "With Our Neighbors," The Daily American, 7 Jun 1891, in section dateline Clarksville, 5 Jun, shows Nell Saunders had returned home after visiting friends in Paducah, and Laura returned home from Anchorage, Ky.
  19. [S8310] Bennett & Co.'s Evansville City Directory, 1892, pg 315, shows residence as Clarksville.
  20. [S8310] Bennett & Co.'s Evansville City Directory, 1893, pg 318, shows residence as e s Upper 2d no of Madison; 1894, pg 327 shows address.
  21. [S8331] Bart A. James obituary, Owensboro Daily Messenger, shows he moved to Evansville with his family 17 years before.
  22. [S8358] B. A. James obituary, Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle, shows he returned to Clarksville in 1906 and resided there with his family since.
  23. [S8310] Bennett & Co.'s Evansville City Directory, 1906, pg 362, shows res in Evansville with Mrs. Bobbie; 1908, pg 345, shows residence as Clarksville.
  24. [S2318] Marase K. Clark household, 1910 U.S. Census, Montgomery Co., Tennessee.
  25. [S8402] Bob James obituary, Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle, shows enlistment date and units.
  26. [S8412] Robert L. James, Applications for Headstones for U.S. Military Veterans, 1925-1963, shows enlistment date and supply co. 114FA, 30th, and on reverse also served in 103rd Co. Transporation Corps.
  27. [S8402] Bob James obituary, Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle.
  28. [S8412] Robert L. James, Applications for Headstones for U.S. Military Veterans, 1925-1963.
  29. [S2320] Nell Clark household, 1920 U.S. Census, Montgomery Co., Tennessee.
  30. [S8403] "James - Miller Wedding," Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle, 7 Jul 1926.
  31. [S2326] Jesse Ellis household, 1930 U.S. Census, Montgomery Co., Tennessee.
  32. [S2318] Marase K. Clark household, 1910 U.S. Census, Montgomery Co., Tennessee, shows occupation as clerk and industry as "Gentr T____ ."
  33. [S2320] Nell Clark household, 1920 U.S. Census, Montgomery Co., Tennessee, shows occupation as salesman, and industry as garage.
  34. [S2326] Jesse Ellis household, 1930 U.S. Census, Montgomery Co., Tennessee, shows occupation as dry cleaner, industry as clothing.
  35. [S8402] Bob James obituary, Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle, shows partner in Max Bilsky & Co.
  36. [S3411] Robert L. James, Certificate of Death, shows occupation as partner in dry cleaning and clothing business.